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Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin sheet cake with cream cheese frosting—one-pan baking for a moist, tender crumb with warm cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Finished with a thick, fluffy cream cheese frosting and a quick cinnamon dusting, then chilled for clean slices.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Pumpkin cake
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cream cheese frosting
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prepare the pan
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C) and grease a 15x10-inch sheet pan, ensuring the bottom and sides are fully coated for easy release.
Mix the dry ingredients
  1. Whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice in a bowl until evenly combined and no streaks of spice remain.
Mix the wet ingredients
  1. Whisk the pumpkin puree, large eggs, granulated sugar, packed light brown sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until smooth and glossy.
Combine batter
  1. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined, stopping as soon as no dry flour pockets are visible to keep the cake tender.
Bake
  1. Spread the batter evenly in the sheet pan, smoothing the top so it bakes uniformly.
  2. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, then remove and let the cake cool.
Cool and frost
  1. Cool completely on a wire rack so the frosting won’t melt or slide.
  2. Beat the cream cheese and unsalted butter until creamy, using a smooth, consistent motion so no lumps remain.
  3. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt and beat until fluffy, stopping when the frosting looks thick and spreadable.
  4. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and dust with ground cinnamon for a spiced finish.
  5. Chill for 30 minutes before slicing so the frosting sets and the pieces hold their shape.

Notes

For best slices, let the cake cool completely on the wire rack before frosting, then chill 30 minutes to set. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze frosted or unfrosted cake slices up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). For a dairy-light option, use cream cheese and butter substitutes designed for baking.